Hackathons are collaborative brainstorming sessions with other programmers and experts to create new apps, programs, devices, systems or solve technical issues. It is when both long-time professionals and up-and-comers come together to solve complex issues and learn.
Attending a hackathon is one of the best ways to advance your skills, experience, and portfolio, which you usually won’t get from everyday work. You can gain skills and experience by collaborating with peers and experts from different parts of the globe.
It is an excellent opportunity to advance your career and build your network. If you’re not familiar with how it works, keep reading to learn the benefits.
Top Five Ways a Hackathon Can Improve Your Career
- Work with Higher Stakes in a Low-Risk Environment.
Participating in hackathons will push you to your best. You get all the high-level challenges but none of the harmful risks associated with taking chances. Even if you fail, there are no harmful effects—only growth that you will not experience in typical working environments. - Expand Your Technical and Social Skills.
These events will get you in touch with experienced experts so you can learn from them. You will be pushed out of your comfort zone, which is the only way growth and breakthroughs happen.
Your experiences will also expose you to more people. Dealing with new people outside your circle can improve your social skills and eliminate your fear of speaking and collaborating.
- Expand Your Social Network.
Meeting and collaborating with new people from beyond your social circle is a great chance to pick up new skills, ideas, and perspectives. New teammates and collaborators can show you new ways to solve problems. It can also allow you to show your skills and form connections from different countries and industries.
- Gain Experience in Different New Industries.
Working with new people and hackathon experts will expose you to other industries and fields where your skills may also be applicable. Breaking out of your comfort zone also allows you to test and see your other skills.
For example, your programming experience in office work might also apply in creating apps for government security, sales, graphics, or a completely different field. You get a chance to learn new skills from another area you’ve never worked in before. It’s growth and expansion outside your normal routine.
- Find Opportunities for External Recognition.
Recognition for your hard work may come from a different field or industry. For instance, after working with hackathon experts, you might have enough material to write a guide e-book because you collaborated on something new.
Breaking New Ground
Breaking out of your social and professional comfort zone is often difficult and nerve-wracking. But that’s how you grow and advance your career. In return, you gain new experiences and skills you never thought you’d get. After all, if you fight for your limitations, you get to keep them.
We at Hackathon.com will provide you with brainstorming sessions that can give you learning experiences and collaborations with hackathon experts on an international scale. You can’t just sit on the sidelines and watch forever. Join us and be better at what you’re good at. We’ll help you unlock your true potential.
